Young Girl Escapes From Kidnapper, Suspect in Custody

On Friday morning around 4 a.m., first responders headed to a location near 19th and Glendale avenues following reports of unknown trouble. Police say a nine-year-old girl asked witnesses for assistance after being taken from her residence by a suspect, later identified as Dakota Johnson, 21. The girl told police that she woke up after hearing her bedroom window opening, and that’s when Johnson reached in and grabbed her. He reportedly carried her over his shoulder for a quarter-mile, all the way to a different apartment complex.

According to police, the girl pretended to be asleep and when Johnson set her down near a trash can, she fled the scene and looked for help. Officials say the girl was not hurt during the incident and they located her home near Glendale and 21st avenues. Police continued their search for the suspect and detained Johnson in the area, near Glendale and 18th avenues, around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson claimed he found the girl near the trash bin and was only helping her. He faced a $250,000 bond for kidnapping.